Josh was the son of Mark and Kelly (Gilles) Schmitz. He attended Saint Anthony's Catholic School and then Loyal High School. He played linebacker for 4 years on the high school football team, played the drums in a band with two friends and sang in the choir his senior year. He was known for being a bit of a class clown, sometimes getting on the nerves of his teachers. After his 2003 graduation, he enlisted in the Marines. One of things he looked forward to was having his hair shaved off. He had curly hair and didn't mind seeing it removed. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. When he would return home on leaves, he always made it a point to visit his old school. The teachers commented on how much he had matured and was more serious. He was on his second tour in Iraq and was scheduled to be sent home in six weeks and complete his enlistment in September 2007. He then wanted to go to college and maybe start his own business. He is survived by his parents, Mark and Kelly; siblings Angela (Kevin) Colby, Stephanie, Justin, Brandon and Nicholas; his maternal grandparents, Ken and Bonnie (Heier) Gilles; paternal grandparents, Martin and Virginia (Wolf) Schmitz; a nephew; a niece; several aunts, uncles, cousins and many friends. Loyal is a small town and Josh's death came on the anniversary date of another Loyal Wisconsin soldier named Sgt. Todd Olson who died in Iraq.
Josh was the son of Mark and Kelly (Gilles) Schmitz. He attended Saint Anthony's Catholic School and then Loyal High School. He played linebacker for 4 years on the high school football team, played the drums in a band with two friends and sang in the choir his senior year. He was known for being a bit of a class clown, sometimes getting on the nerves of his teachers. After his 2003 graduation, he enlisted in the Marines. One of things he looked forward to was having his hair shaved off. He had curly hair and didn't mind seeing it removed. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. When he would return home on leaves, he always made it a point to visit his old school. The teachers commented on how much he had matured and was more serious. He was on his second tour in Iraq and was scheduled to be sent home in six weeks and complete his enlistment in September 2007. He then wanted to go to college and maybe start his own business. He is survived by his parents, Mark and Kelly; siblings Angela (Kevin) Colby, Stephanie, Justin, Brandon and Nicholas; his maternal grandparents, Ken and Bonnie (Heier) Gilles; paternal grandparents, Martin and Virginia (Wolf) Schmitz; a nephew; a niece; several aunts, uncles, cousins and many friends. Loyal is a small town and Josh's death came on the anniversary date of another Loyal Wisconsin soldier named Sgt. Todd Olson who died in Iraq.
